1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to measuring meters. More specifically, the invention relates to communications and data protocols of a data recorder for a measuring meter.
2. Background Art
Meters that measure usage of a material based on flow are widely used to keep track of the consumption of an end user. For example, utility companies that supply water to their customers typically charge for their product based on usage. Usage of water is typically measured by a meter that is installed for each individual customer on their respective water supply line. A utility company employee periodically (usually once a month) manually collects the reading from the meter. These readings are usually cumulative, so the amount of usage for the present period is calculated by subtracting the reading from the previous period. Once the usage is calculated, the customer is billed for that amount of water used during that period.
Manually reading usage meters is labor intensive, time consuming expensive, and subject to human error especially for residential customers because each meter monitors relatively little usage as compared with larger, commercial customers. As a result, electronic meters have been used to allow for quicker, more efficient, and more accurate collection of usage data. The electronic meters measure usage by monitoring flow through a conventional, mechanical meter. The usage readings are stored electronically and then transmitted via radio signals to a local transmitter/receiver operated by the utility.
However, electronic meters require a power source. Typically, such a meter relies on a battery for power. The battery must be replaced manually which is another time consuming and expensive process. Additionally, if the battery fails, the utility may be unable to determine the correct usage at the meter and consequently under bill the customer.